Polynucleotide probes for detection and quantitation of candida albicans and candida dubliniensis

ABSTRACT

Hybridization assay probes and accessory oligonucleotides for detecting ribosomal nucleic acids from  Candida albicans  and/or  Candida dubliniensis.

RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/201,247, filed May 1, 2000. The entire disclosure of this related application is hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to compositions and methods for detecting the pathogenic yeast species, Candida albicans and Candida dubliniensis. More specifically, the invention relates to hybridization probes and accessory polynucleotides having specificity for the ribosomal nucleic acids of these species.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The yeast Candida albicans (C. albicans) is one of the most common fungal pathogens that infect humans. Although it is part of the normal flora of the mucous membranes in the respiratory, gastrointestinal and female genital tracts, this opportunistic pathogen may gain dominance in these locations and result in disease conditions. Indeed, while C. albicans infections of otherwise healthy individuals are rarely fatal, infections can lead to life-threatening conditions in persons having comprised immune systems such as, for example, AIDS patients, cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, and organ transplant patients receiving immunosuppressive drugs. Disseminated (systemic) candidiasis is most prevalent in immunosuppressed individuals and is usually established following passage of the organism across the mucosal epithelium into the bloodstream. Once in the bloodstream, this organism can cause thrombophlebitis, endocarditis, or infection of the eyes. Further, C. albicans can invade virtually any organ or tissue when introduced intravenously, e.g., via tubing, needles or narcotics abuse.

[0004] Candida is a heterogeneous genus of yeast. At least six Candida species have been implicated as human pathogens, although the majority of Candida infections are caused by C. albicans and C. tropicalis. Since proper diagnosis and early treatment of an infection by C. albicans provides a clear advantage with respect to medical treatment, it is highly desirable to have available methods of detecting a wide range of different strains of this organism.

[0005] The discovery of the novel opportunistic pathogen Candida dubliniensis has added to the range of organisms responsible for disease in humans (see Sullivan et al., Microbiology 141:1507 (1995)). Isolates of this yeast species have been primarily recovered from the oral cavities of HIV-infected patients, both with and without clinical symptoms of oral candidiasis. However, C. dubliniensis has also been recovered from the oral cavities of asymptomatic and symptomatic immunocompetent individuals, although to a much lesser extent. There are also a few reports of the isolation of C. dubliniensis from sputum, blood, fecal and vaginal specimens. In a study reported by Odds et al., in J. Clin. Microbiol. 36:2869 (1998), about 2% of yeasts originally identified as C. albicans were reidentified as C. dubliniensis on the basis of DNA fingerprinting.

[0006] It is well established that two single strands of deoxyribonucleic acid (“DNA”) or ribonucleic acid (“RNA”) can associate or “hybridize” with one another to form a double-stranded structure having two strands held together by hydrogen bonds between complementary base pairs. The individual strands of nucleic acid are formed from nucleotides that comprise the bases: adenine (A), cytosine (C), thymine (T), guanine (G), uracil (U) and inosine (I). In the double helical structure of nucleic acids, the base adenine hydrogen bonds with the base thymine or uracil, the base guanine hydrogen bonds with the base cytosine and the base inosine hydrogen bonds with adenine, cytosine or uracil. At any point along the chain, therefore, one may find the classical “Watson-Crick” base pairs A:T or A:U, T:A or U:A, and G:C or C:G. However, one may also find A:G, G:U and other “wobble” or mismatched base pairs in addition to the traditional (“canonical”) base pairs.

[0007] A double-stranded nucleic acid hybrid will result if a first single-stranded polynucleotide is contacted under hybridization-promoting conditions with a second single-stranded polynucleotide having a sufficient number of contiguous bases complementary to the sequence of the first polynucleotide. DNA/DNA, RNA/DNA or RNA/RNA hybrids may be formed under appropriate conditions.

[0008] Generally, a probe is a single-stranded polynucleotide having some degree of complementarity with the nucleic acid sequence that is to be detected (“target sequence”). Probes commonly are labeled with a detectable moiety such as a radioisotope, an antigen or a chemiluminescent moiety.

[0009] Descriptions of nucleic acid hybridization as a procedure for detecting particular nucleic acid sequences are given by Kohne in U.S. Pat. No. 4,851,330, and by Hogan et al., in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,541,308 and 5,681,698. These references also describe methods for determining the presence of RNA-containing organisms in a sample which might contain such organisms. These procedures require probes that are sufficiently complementary to the ribosomal RNA (rRNA) of one or more non-viral organisms or groups of non-viral organisms. According to the method, nucleic acids from a sample to be tested and an appropriate probe are first mixed and then incubated under specified hybridization conditions. Conventionally, but not necessarily, the probe will be labeled with a detectable label. The resulting hybridization reaction is then assayed to detect and quantitate the amount of labeled probe that has formed duplex structures in order to detect the presence of rRNA contained in the test sample.

[0010] With the exception of viruses, all prokaryotic organisms contain rRNA genes encoding homologs of the procaryotic 5S, 16S and 23S rRNA molecules. In eucaryotes, these rRNA molecules are the 5S rRNA, 5.8S rRNA, 18S rRNA and 28S rRNA which are substantially similar to the prokaryotic molecules. Probes for detecting specifically targeted rRNA subsequences in particular organisms or groups of organisms in a sample have been described previously. These highly specific probe sequences advantageously do not cross react with nucleic acids from any other bacterial species or infectious agents under appropriate stringency conditions.

[0011] The present invention provides polynucleotide probes that can be used to detect a broad range of Candida albicans strains and Candida dubliniensis in a highly specific manner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0012] A first aspect of the invention relates to an oligonucleotide that has a length of up to 100 nucleotides and a sequence that includes at least 17 contiguous nucleotides from SEQ ID NO:6 or the complement thereof. The sequence of the oligonucleotide may include any one of SEQ ID NO: 1 or the complement thereof, SEQ ID NO:2 or the complement thereof, SEQ ID NO:3 or the complement thereof, SEQ ID NO:4 or the complement thereof, or SEQ ID NO:5 or the complement thereof. In each of these cases, rather than having a length of up to 100 nucleotides, the oligonucleotide may have a length of up to only 60 nucleotides. In certain embodiments, the oligonucleotide is made of DNA. In certain other embodiments of the invention the sequence of the oligonucleotide is given precisely by of any one of SEQ ID NO: 1 or the complement thereof, SEQ ID NO:2 or the complement thereof, SEQ ID NO:3 or the complement thereof, SEQ ID NO:4 or the complement thereof, and SEQ ID NO:5 or the complement thereof. When this is the case, the oligonucleotide optionally may include a detectable label. In a highly preferred embodiment, the sequence of the oligonucleotide is given by either of SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO:4. In an even more highly preferred embodiment, the oligonucleotide which has the sequence of either SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO:4 further includes a detectable label. Examples of detectable labels include chemiluminescent labels, such as acridinium esters.

[0013] A second aspect of the invention relates to a composition that can be used for detecting the nucleic acids of a yeast that is either C. albicans or C. dubliniensis. This composition includes an oligonucleotide probe having a length of up to 100 nucleotide bases and a sequence that includes at least 17 contiguous nucleotides from SEQ ID NO:6 or the complement thereof. In certain instances, rather than having a length of up to 100 nucleotides, the length of the oligonucleotide probe is up to only 60 nucleotides. The probes in the invented composition may conveniently be made of DNA. In certain preferred embodiments of the invented oligonucleotide probe there is included a detectable label, which is a chemiluminescent label or a radiolabel, and the length of the probe is no longer than 60 nucleotides. When the sequence of the oligonucleotide probe is given precisely by either SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO:4, and further when the probe includes a detectable label, the detectable label may be a chemiluminescent label or a radiolabel. As a particular example, the detectable label is a chemiluminescent label, and this chemiluminescent label is an acridinium ester. Alternatively, when the sequence of the oligonucleotide probe is given precisely by either SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO:4, and further when the probe includes a detectable label, there may be included in the composition at least one helper oligonucleotide. According to one highly preferred embodiment of the invention, the sequence of the oligonucleotide probe is given by SEQ ID NO:1, and the helper oligonucleotide is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:2 and SEQ ID NO:3. According to another highly preferred embodiment, the sequence of the oligonucleotide probe is given by SEQ ID NO:4, and the helper oligonucleotide is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:2 and SEQ ID NO:5.

[0014] A third aspect of the invention relates to a method of determining whether a test sample includes an organism that is either C. albicans or C. dubliniensis. This method includes a first step for providing to the test sample a probe composition that includes an oligonucleotide probe having a length of up to 100 nucleotide bases and a sequence that includes at least 17 contiguous nucleotides from SEQ ID NO:6 or the complement thereof. A second step in the method involves hybridizing under a high stringency condition any nucleic acid that may be present in the test sample with the probe composition to form a probe:target duplex. Finally, there is a step for detecting the probe:target duplex. When such a duplex is detected it indicates that an organism which is either C. albicans or C. dubliniensis is present in the test sample. This method may be carried out using oligonucleotide probes that have sequences given by either SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO:4. In this instance, it is possible that the test sample may include yeast cells, and before the above-indicated first step there is a preliminary step for releasing nucleic acid from any yeast cells that may be present in the test sample. Alternatively, the test sample may begin as a lysate. Examples of useful high stringency hybridization conditions that can be used in the second step of the method include either: (a) 0.48 M sodium phosphate buffer, 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate, 1 mM each of EDTA and EGTA; or (b) 0.6 M LiCl, 1% lithium lauryl sulfate, 60 mM lithium succinate and 10 mM each of EDTA and EGTA. When the sequence of the oligonucleotide probe consists of either SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO:4, it is preferred that the oligonucleotide probe also includes a detectable label. In one embodiment of the invented method, this detectable label is an acridinium ester, and the “detecting” step involves performing luminometry to detect any of the probe:target duplex. In another embodiment of the invented method, the probe composition further includes at least one helper oligonucleotide. For example, it is highly preferred for the sequence of the oligonucleotide probe to be given by SEQ ID NO:1, and further that at least one helper oligonucleotide has a sequence given by SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:3. Alternatively, it is highly preferred for the sequence of the oligonucleotide probe to be given by SEQ ID NO:4, and further that at least one helper oligonucleotide has a sequence given by SEQ ID NO:2 or SEQ ID NO:5.

[0015] Definitions

[0016] As used herein, the following terms have the given meanings unless expressly stated to the contrary.

[0017] A “nucleotide” is a subunit of a nucleic acid consisting of a phosphate group, a 5-carbon sugar and a nitrogenous base. The 5-carbon sugar found in RNA is ribose. In DNA, the 5-carbon sugar is 2′-deoxyribose. The sugar of a 5′-nucleotide contains a hydroxyl group (—OH) at the 5′-carbon-5 position. The term also includes analogs of naturally occurring nucleotides and particularly includes analogs having a methoxy group at the 2′ position of the ribose (OMe). As used herein, methoxy oligonucleotides containing “T” residues have a methoxy group at the 2′ position of the ribose moiety, and a uracil at the base position of the nucleotide. When particularly specified as “OMeT” it is meant that the base position of the nucleotide is occupied by a thymine residue.

[0018] A “non-nucleotide unit” is a unit which does not significantly participate in hybridization of a polymer. Such units must not, for example, participate in any significant hydrogen bonding with a nucleotide, and would exclude units having as a component one of the five nucleotide bases or analogs thereof.

[0019] An “oligonucleotide” is a nucleotide polymer having two or more nucleotide subunits covalently joined together. Oligonucleotides are generally about 10 to about 100 nucleotides in length. The sugar groups of the nucleotide subunits may be ribose, deoxyribose, or modified derivatives thereof such as OMe. The nucleotide subunits may by joined by linkages such as phosphodiester linkages, modified linkages or by non-nucleotide moieties that do not prevent hybridization of the oligonucleotide to its complementary target nucleotide sequence. Modified linkages include those in which a standard phosphodiester linkage is replaced with a different linkage, such as a phosphorothioate linkage, a methylphosphonate linkage, or a neutral peptide linkage. Nitrogenous base analogs also may be components of oligonucleotides in accordance with the invention.

[0020] A “target nucleic acid” is a nucleic acid comprising a target nucleic acid sequence.

[0021] A “target nucleic acid sequence,” “target nucleotide sequence” or “target sequence” is a specific deoxyribonucleotide or ribonucleotide sequence that can be hybridized by an oligonucleotide.

[0022] An “oligonucleotide probe” is an oligonucleotide having a nucleotide sequence sufficiently complementary to its target nucleic acid sequence to be able to form a detectable hybrid probe:target duplex under high stringency hybridization conditions. An oligonucleotide probe is an isolated chemical species and may include additional nucleotides outside of the targeted region as long as such nucleotides do not prevent hybridization under high stringency hybridization conditions. Non-complementary sequences, such as promotor sequences, restriction endonuclease recognition sites, or sequences that confer a desired secondary or tertiary structure such as a catalytic active site can be used to facilitate detection using the invented probes. An oligonucleotide probe optionally may be labeled with a detectable moiety such as a radioisotope, a fluorescent moiety, a chemiluminescent moiety, an enzyme or a ligand, which can be used to detect or confirm probe hybridization to its target sequence. Oligonucleotide probes are preferred to be in the size range of from 10 to 100 nucleotides in length.

[0023] A “detectable moiety” is a molecule attached to, or synthesized as part of, a nucleic acid probe. This molecule should be uniquely detectable and will allow the probe to be detected as a result. These detectable moieties are often radioisotopes, chemiluminescent molecules, enzymes, haptens, or even unique oligonucleotide sequences.

[0024] A “hybrid” or a “duplex” is a complex formed between two single-stranded nucleic acid sequences by Watson-Crick base pairings or non-canonical base pairings between the complementary bases.

[0025] “Hybridization” is the process by which two complementary strands of nucleic acid combine to form a double-stranded structure (“hybrid” or “duplex”).

[0026] “Complementarity” is a property conferred by the base sequence of a single strand of DNA or RNA which may form a hybrid or double-stranded DNA:DNA, RNA:RNA or DNA:RNA through hydrogen bonding between Watson-Crick base pairs on the respective strands. Adenine (A) ordinarily complements thymine (T) or Uracil (U), while guanine (G) ordinarily complements cytosine (C).

[0027] “Mismatch” refers to any pairing, in a hybrid, of two nucleotides which do not form canonical Watson-Crick hydrogen bonds. In addition, for the purposes of the following discussions, a mismatch can include an insertion or deletion in one strand of the hybrid which results in an unpaired nucleotide(s).

[0028] The term “stringency” is used to describe the temperature and solvent composition existing during hybridization and the subsequent processing steps. Under high stringency conditions only highly complementary nucleic acid hybrids will form; hybrids without a sufficient degree of complementarity will not form. Accordingly, the stringency of the assay conditions determines the amount of complementarity needed between two nucleic acid strands forming a hybrid. Stringency conditions are chosen to maximize the difference in stability between the hybrid formed with the target and the non-target nucleic acid. Exemplary high stringency conditions are provided in the working Examples.

[0029] The term “probe specificity” refers to a characteristic of a probe which describes its ability to distinguish between target and non-target sequences.

[0030] The term “variable region” refers to a nucleotide polymer which differs by at least one base between the target organism and non-target organisms contained in a sample.

[0031] A “conserved region” is a nucleic acid subsequence which is not variable between at least two different polynucleotides.

[0032] The term “sequence divergence” refers to a process by which nucleotide polymers become less similar during evolution.

[0033] The term “sequence convergence” refers to a process by which nucleotide polymers become more similar during evolution.

[0034] “Tm” refers to the temperature at which 50% of the probe is converted from the hybridized to the unhybridized form.

[0035] A “helper oligonucleotide” is an oligonucleotide that binds a region of a target nucleic acid other than the region that is bound by an oligonucleotide probe. Helper oligonucleotides impose new secondary and tertiary structures on the targeted region of the single-stranded nucleic acid so that the rate of binding of the oligonucleotide probe is accelerated. Although helper oligonucleotides are not labeled with a detectable label when used in conjunction with labeled oligonucleotide probes, they facilitate binding of labeled probes and so indirectly enhance hybridization signals.

[0036] The phrases “consist essentially of” or “consisting essentially of” means that the oligonucleotide has a nucleotide sequence substantially similar to a specified nucleotide sequence. Any additions or deletions are non-material variations of the specified nucleotide sequence which do not prevent the oligonucleotide from having its claimed property, such as being able to preferentially hybridize under high stringency hybridization conditions to its target nucleic acid over non-target nucleic acids.

[0037] One skilled in the art will understand that substantially corresponding probes of the invention can vary from the referred-to sequence and still hybridize to the same target nucleic acid sequence. This variation from the nucleic acid may be stated in terms of a percentage of identical bases within the sequence or the percentage of perfectly complementary bases between the probe and its target sequence. Probes of the present invention substantially correspond to a nucleic acid sequence if these percentages are from 100% to 80% or from 0 base mismatches in a 10 nucleotide target sequence to 2 bases mismatched in a 10 nucleotide target sequence. In preferred embodiments, the percentage is from 100% to 85%. In more preferred embodiments, this percentage is from 90% to 100%; in other preferred embodiments, this percentage is from 95% to 100%.

[0038] By “sufficiently complementary” or “substantially complementary” is meant nucleic acids having a sufficient amount of contiguous complementary nucleotides to form, under high stringency hybridization conditions, a hybrid that is stable for detection.

[0039] By “nucleic acid hybrid” or “probe:target duplex” is meant a structure that is a double-stranded, hydrogen-bonded structure, preferably 10 to 100 nucleotides in length, more preferably 14 to 50 nucleotides in length. The structure is sufficiently stable to be detected by means such as chemiluminescent or fluorescent light detection, autoradiography, electrochemical analysis or gel electrophoresis. Such hybrids include RNA:RNA, RNA:DNA, or DNA:DNA duplex molecules.

[0040] By “negative sense” is meant a nucleic acid molecule perfectly complementary to a reference (i.e., sense) nucleic acid molecule.

[0041] “RNA and DNA equivalents” refer to RNA and DNA molecules having the same complementary base pair hybridization properties. RNA and DNA equivalents have different sugar groups (i.e., ribose versus deoxyribose), and may differ by the presence of uracil in RNA and thymine in DNA. The difference between RNA and DNA equivalents do not contribute to differences in substantially corresponding nucleic acid sequences because the equivalents have the same degree of complementarity to a particular sequence.

[0042] By “preferentially hybridize” is meant that under high stringency hybridization conditions oligonucleotide probes can hybridize their target nucleic acids to form stable probe:target hybrids (thereby indicating the presence of the target nucleic acids) without forming stable probe:non-target hybrids (that would indicate the presence of non-target nucleic acids from other organisms). Thus, the probe hybridizes to target nucleic acid to a sufficiently greater extent than to non-target nucleic acid to enable one skilled in the art to accurately detect the presence of C. albicans and/or C. dubliniensis and distinguish these species from other organisms. Preferential hybridization can be measured using techniques known in the art and described herein.

[0043] A “target nucleic acid sequence region” refers to a nucleic acid sequence present in the nucleic acid of an organism or a sequence complementary thereto, which is not present in the nucleic acids of other species. Nucleic acids having nucleotide sequences complementary to a target sequence may be generated by target amplification techniques such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or transcription mediated amplification (e.g., Kacian and Fultz, Nucleic Acid Sequence Amplification Methods, U.S. Pat. No. 5,824,518).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0044] Herein we disclose preferred target nucleotide sequences for oligonucleotide probes and helper oligonucleotides that can be used to detect and identify rRNA or rDNA of Candida albicans and Candida dubliniensis without substantially detecting ribosomal nucleic acids of other microorganisms or humans. Highly preferred polynucleotide probes and accessory helper oligonucleotides that specifically detect C. albicans and C. dubliniensis are particularly disclosed. Probes which are complementary to particular rRNA sequences of the 28S rRNA advantageously are capable of distinguishing these species from the known phylogenetically nearest neighbors.

[0045] In addition to having nucleic acid sequences that permit hybridization to the ribosomal RNA (rRNA) or DNA (rDNA) sequences of C. albicans and C. dubliniensis, the oligonucleotides of the invention are at least 90% complementary, preferably perfectly complementary, to at least a portion of the described target sequence region identified by SEQ ID NO:7. The portion is preferably at least 15 nucleotides in length, more preferably at least 17 nucleotides in length, still more preferably at least 23 nucleotides in length, even more preferably at least 25 nucleotides in length, and yet even more preferably at least 34 nucleotides in length.

[0046] As indicated above, the invented oligonucleotides are targeted to nucleic acid sequences of C. albicans and C. dubliniensis. These oligonucleotides can be used as probes that preferentially hybridize a nucleic acid target region to form a detectable duplex that indicates the presence of either C. albicans or C. dubliniensis. Alternatively, the invented oligonucleotides can be used as helper oligonucleotides that hybridize a nucleic acid target region under high stringency hybridization conditions, and that can enhance the formation of a duplex between a labeled oligonucleotide probe and its complementary target nucleic acid.

[0047] In preferred embodiments, the oligonucleotide probes described herein selectively hybridize nucleic acids from C. albicans and C. dubliniensis over those from other organisms under high stringency hybridization conditions. In some embodiments of the present invention, the oligonucleotide probe comprises a detectable moiety, such as an acridinium ester or a radioisotope.

[0048] Preferred methods for detecting the presence of C. albicans and C. dubliniensis include the step of contacting a test sample under high stringency hybridization conditions with an oligonucleotide probe that preferentially hybridizes to a C. albicans and C. dubliniensis target nucleic acid sequence over a nucleic acid sequence of other organisms. Preferably the target nucleic acid sequence has at least 15 contiguous nucleotides, more preferably at least 17 contiguous nucleotides, still more preferably at least 23 contiguous nucleotides, even more preferably at least 25 contiguous nucleotides, and yet even more preferably at least 34 contiguous nucleotides of the sequence given by SEQ ID NO:7. Thus, oligonucleotides useful for hybridizing the rRNA target preferably are up to 100 nucleotides in length, or more preferably up to 60 nucleotides in length, and have at least 15 contiguous nucleotides, more preferably at least 17 contiguous nucleotides, still more preferably at least 23 contiguous nucleotides, even more preferably at least 25 contiguous nucleotides, and yet even more preferably at least 34 contiguous nucleotides contained within the sequence of SEQ ID NO:6. However, other useful probes for hybridizing rDNA are up to 100 nucleotides in length, or more preferably up to 60 nucleotides in length, and have at least at least 15 contiguous nucleotides, more preferably at least 17 contiguous nucleotides, still more preferably at least 23 contiguous nucleotides, even more preferably at least 25 contiguous nucleotides, and yet even more preferably at least 34 contiguous nucleotides of the sequence given by the complement of SEQ ID NO:6.

[0049] Introduction and Background

[0050] In the development of the invention, rRNA sequences from a collection of related and unrelated organisms were aligned to identify candidate conserved sequences present in the 28S rRNA that could be used to distinguish Candida albicans from other organisms. The rRNA or rDNA sequences of Candida albicans and distant phylogenetic neighbors were aligned to reveal areas of maximum homology. Homologous regions were examined for sequence variation in order to identify rRNA sequences that showed mismatches with other closely and distantly related genera. The sequences deduced as candidate probes according to the methods described below finally were tested against a panel of rRNA standards and rRNA-containing cell lysates to verify their utility as probes under laboratory conditions.

[0051] Polynucleotide sequences of rRNAs are most conveniently determined using a dideoxynucleotide sequencing procedure. In this procedure, oligonucleotide primers of about 10-100 bases in length and complementary to conserved regions of rRNA from any of the ribosome subunits can be extended by reverse transcriptase. The resulting DNA extension products can then be sequenced either by chemical degradation or by dideoxynucleotide sequencing (Lane et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 82: 6955 (1985)). According to another preferred method, genomic sequences encoding the rRNA can also be determined.

[0052] The strong interdependence of secondary structure and function of the rRNA molecules is well known. Indeed, evolutionary changes in the primary sequence of the rRNA are effectively restricted such that secondary structure of the molecule will be maintained. For example, if a base is changed on one side of a helix of a rRNA molecule, then a compensating change will be made on the other side of the helix to preserve complementarity (this is referred to as covariance). This relationship allows two very different rRNA sequences to be “aligned” based on conserved primary sequence and conserved elements of the secondary structure. Once the sequences have been aligned, it becomes possible to identify conserved and variable regions of the rRNA sequence.

[0053] Variable regions of rRNAs were identified by comparative analysis using published rRNA sequences and sequences that were determined during the development of the present invention. Commercially available software can be used or adapted for the purposes disclosed herein. Since the sequence evolution at each of the variable regions (for example, spanning a minimum of 10 nucleotides) of rRNA is, for the most part, divergent and not convergent, we can confidently design probes based on a few rRNA sequences which differ between the target organism and its phylogenetically closest relatives. Indeed, we have detected sufficient variation between the rRNA sequences of numerous target organisms and their closest phylogenetic relatives in a single sample to permit the design of a probe that can be used according to the methods described below.

[0054] Probe Selection Guidelines

[0055] The following general guidelines can be used for designing probes having desirable characteristics in accordance with the present invention. Manipulation of one or more of the many factors that influence the extent and specificity of a hybridization reaction can determine the sensitivity and specificity of a particular probe. This is true whether or not the probe is perfectly complementary over the full length of its target polynucleotide sequence. Guidelines for preparing probes useful in connection with the invention now follow.

[0056] First, the stability of the probe:target nucleic acid hybrid should be chosen to be compatible with the assay conditions. This may be accomplished by avoiding long A and T rich sequences, by terminating the hybrids with G:C base pairs and by designing the probe in such a way that the Tm will be appropriate for standard conditions to be employed in the assay. The nucleotide sequence of the probe should be chosen so that the length and %G and %C result in a probe having a Tm about 2-10° C. higher than the temperature at which the final assay will be performed. The base composition of the probe is significant because G:C base pairs exhibit greater thermal stability when compared with A:T base pairs. Thus, hybrids involving complementary nucleic acids having a high G:C content will be stable at higher temperatures when compared with hybrids having a lower G:C content.

[0057] Ionic strength and temperature conditions at which a hybridization reaction will be conducted also should be considered when designing a probe having a negatively charged backbone, such as would be provided by phosphodiester linkages between nucleotides. It is generally known that hybridization rate increases as ionic strength of the reaction mixture increases. Similarly, the thermal stability of hybrids increases with increasing ionic strength. Conversely, hydrogen bond-disrupting reagents such as formamide, urea, DMSO and alcohols increase the stringency of hybridization. Destabilization of hydrogen bonds by reagents in this class can greatly reduce the Tm. In general, optimal hybridization for synthetic oligonucleotide probes of about 10-50 bases in length occurs approximately 5° C. below the melting temperature for a given duplex. Hybridization reactions conducted below the temperature optimum may allow mismatched base sequences to hybridize and can result in reduced probe specificity.

[0058] Second, the position at which the probe binds its target polynucleotide should be chosen to minimize the stability of hybrids formed between probe:non-target polynucleotides. This may be accomplished by minimizing the length of perfect complementarity with polynucleotides of non-target organisms, by avoiding G:C rich regions of homology with non-target sequences, and by positioning the probe to span as many destabilizing mismatches as possible. Whether a probe sequence will be useful for detecting only a specific type of organism depends largely on thermal stability differences between probe:target hybrids and probe:non-target hybrids. The differences in Tm should be as large as possible to produce highly specific probes.

[0059] The length of the target nucleic acid sequence and the corresponding length of the probe sequence also are important factors to be considered when designing a probe. While it is possible for polynucleotides that are not perfectly complementary to hybridize to each other, the longest stretch of perfectly homologous base sequence will ordinarily be the primary determinant of hybrid stability.

[0060] Third, regions of the rRNA which are known to form strong internal structures inhibitory to hybridization of a probe are less preferred as targets. Probes having extensive self-complementarity also should be avoided. As indicated above, hybridization is the association of two single strands of complementary nucleic acid to form a hydrogen bonded double-stranded structure. If one of the two strands is wholly or partially double-stranded, then it will be less able to participate in the formation of a new hybrid. Significantly, all rRNA molecules form very stable intramolecular hybrids.

[0061] The rate and extent of hybridization between a probe and its target can be increased substantially by designing the probe such that a substantial portion of the sequence of interest is single-stranded. If the target nucleic acid to be detected is a genomic sequence encoding a rRNA, then that target will naturally occur in a double-stranded form. This is also the case with products of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). These double-stranded targets are naturally inhibitory to hybridization with a probe. Finally, undesirable intramolecular and intermolecular hybrids can form within a single probe molecule or between different probe molecules if there is sufficient self-complementarity. Thus, extensive self-complementarity in a probe sequence should be avoided.

[0062] Preferably, probes useful for carrying out the procedures described below will hybridize under conditions of high stringency. Under these conditions only highly complementary nucleic acid hybrids will form (i.e., those having at least 14 out of 17 bases in a contiguous series of bases being complementary). Hybrids will not form in the absence of a sufficient degree of complementarity. Accordingly, the stringency of the assay conditions determines the amount of complementarity needed between two nucleic acid strands forming a hybrid. Stringency is chosen to maximize the difference in stability between the hybrid formed with the target and non-target nucleic acid. Exemplary high stringency conditions are employed in the Examples presented below.

[0063] While oligonucleotide probes of different lengths and base composition may be used for detecting C. albicans and C. dubliniensis, preferred probes in this invention have lengths of up to 100 nucleotides, and more preferably lengths of up to 60 nucleotides. Preferred length ranges for the invented oligonucleotides are from 10 to 100 bases in length, more preferably between 15 and 60 bases in length, or still more preferably between 15 and 50 bases in length. Preferred probes are sufficiently homologous to the target nucleic acid to permit hybridization under high stringency conditions such as those employed in the Examples described below. However, the specific probe sequences described below also may be provided in a nucleic acid cloning vector and still can be used for detecting C. albicans and C. dubliniensis.

[0064] Chemical Structure of Oligonucleotides

[0065] All of the oligonucleotides of the present invention may be modified with chemical groups to enhance their performance. Thus, it is to be understood that references to “oligonucleotide probes” or “helper oligonucleotides” or simply “oligonucleotides” embrace polymers of native nucleotides as well as polymers that include at least one nucleotide analog.

[0066] Backbone-modified oligonucleotides, such as those having phosphorothioate or methylphosphonate groups, are examples of analogs that can be used in conjunction with oligonucleotides of the present invention. These modifications render the oligonucleotides resistant to the nucleolytic activity of certain polymerases or to nuclease enzymes. Other analogs that can be incorporated into the structures of the oligonucleotides disclosed herein include peptide nucleic acids, or “PNAs.” The PNAs are compounds comprising ligands linked to a peptide backbone rather than to a phosphodiester backbone. Representative ligands include either the four main naturally occurring DNA bases (i.e., thymine, cytosine, adenine or guanine) or other naturally occurring nucleobases (e.g., inosine, uracil, 5-methylcytosine or thiouracil) or artificial bases (e.g., bromothymine, azaadenines or azaguanines, etc.) attached to a peptide backbone through a suitable linker. The PNAs are able to bind complementary ssDNA and RNA strands. Methods for making and using PNAs are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,539,082. Another type of modification that can be used to make oligonucleotides having the sequences described herein involves the use of non-nucleotide linkers (e.g., Arnold, et al., “Non-Nucleotide Linking Reagents for Nucleotide Probes”, U.S. Pat. No. 6,031,091 hereby incorporated by reference) incorporated between nucleotides in the nucleic acid chain which do not interfere with hybridization or the elongation of a primer.

[0067] Nucleic Acid Based Methods of Detecting rRNA or rDNA

[0068] A composition that includes an oligonucleotide probe, either alone or in combination with one or more helper oligonucleotides, can be used for detecting rRNA or rDNA of either C. albicans or C. dubliniensis in a hybridization assay. Defined oligonucleotides that can be used to practice the invention can be produced by any of several well-known methods, including automated solid-phase chemical synthesis using cyanoethylphosphoramidite precursors (Barone et al., Nucl Acids Res 12:4051 (1984)). Other well-known methods for preparing synthetic oligonucleotides also may be employed.

[0069] Essentially any labeling and detection system that can be used for monitoring specific nucleic acid hybridization can be used in conjunction with the probes disclosed herein when a labeled probe is desired. Included among the collection of useful labels are: isotopic labels, enzymes, haptens, linked oligonucleotides, chemiluminescent molecules and redox-active moieties that are amenable to electrochemical detection methods. Standard isotopic labels that can be used to produce labeled oligonucleotides include ³H, ³⁵S, ³²p, ¹²⁵I, ⁵⁷Co and ¹⁴C. When using radiolabeled probes, hybrids can be detected by autoradiography, scintillation counting or gamma counting.

[0070] Non-isotopic materials can also be used for labeling oligonucleotide probes. These non-isotopic labels can be positioned internally or at a terminus of the oligonucleotide probe. Modified nucleotides may be incorporated enzymatically or chemically with modifications of the probe being performed during or after probe synthesis, for example, by the use of non-nucleotide linker groups. Non-isotopic labels include fluorescent molecules, chemiluminescent molecules, enzymes, cofactors, enzyme substrates, haptens or other ligands.

[0071] Indeed, any number of different non-isotopic labels can be used for preparing labeled oligonucleotides in accordance with the invention. Preferred chemiluminescent molecules include acridinium esters of the type disclosed by Arnold et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,283,174 for use in connection with homogenous protection assays, and of the type disclosed by Woodhead et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,656,207 for use in connection with assays that quantify multiple targets in a single reaction. The disclosures contained in these patent documents are hereby incorporated by reference. U.S. Pat. No. 5,998,135 discloses yet another method that can be used for labeling and detecting the probes of the present invention using fluorimetry to detect fluorescence emission from lanthanide metal labels disposed on probes, where the emission from these labels becomes enhanced when it is in close proximity to an energy transfer partner. Preferred electrochemical labeling and detection approaches are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,591,578 and 5,770,369, and the published International Patent Application No. PCT/US98/12082, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Redox active moieties useful as electrochemical labels in the present invention include transition metals such as Cd, Mg, Cu, Co, Pd, Zn, Fe and Ru.

[0072] Those having an ordinary level of skill in the art will appreciate that alternative procedures for detecting nucleic acids of C. albicans and C. dubliniensis using the invented probes can be carried out using either labeled probes or unlabeled probes. For example, hybridization assay methods that do not rely on the use of a labeled probe are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,945,286 which describes immobilization of unlabeled probes made of peptide nucleic acids (PNAs), and detectably labeled intercalating molecules which can bind double-stranded PNA probe/target nucleic acid duplexes. In these procedures, as well as in certain electrochemical detection procedures, such as those disclosed in published International Patent Application No. PCT/US98/12082 entitled “Detection of Analytes Using Reorganization Energy,” published International Patent Application No. PCT/US98/12430 entitled “Electronic Methods for the Detection of Analytes,” and in published International Patent Application No. PCT/US97/20014 entitled “Electrodes Linked Via Conductive Oligomers to Nucleic Acids,” the oligonucleotide probe is not required to harbor a detectable label.

[0073] Acceptability of the final product following synthesis and purification of an oligonucleotide may be verified by any of several procedures. First, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis can be used to determine the size and purity of the oligonucleotide according to standard laboratory methods (see Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, Sambrook et al., eds. Cold Spring Harbor Lab Publ., 11.51, (1989)). Alternatively, High Pressure Liquid Chromatography (“HPLC”) procedures can be used for this same purpose.

[0074] Hybridization between the labeled oligonucleotide probe and target nucleic acid in the procedures described below can be enhanced through the use of unlabeled “helper oligonucleotides” according to the procedure disclosed by Hogan et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,030,557 entitled, “Means and Methods for Enhancing Nucleic Acid Hybridization.” As indicated above, helper oligonucleotides bind a region of the target nucleic acid other than the region that is bound by the assay probe. This binding imposes new secondary and tertiary structures on the targeted region of the single-stranded nucleic acid and accelerates the rate of probe binding. Helper oligonucleotides which can be used in combination with labeled oligonucleotide probes of the present invention are preferably 15 to 100 nucleotides in length and have a sequence that includes at least 15 contiguous nucleotides, more preferably at least 25 contiguous nucleotides, or even still more preferably at least 34 contiguous nucleotides contained within the sequence of SEQ ID NO:6 or the complement thereof.

[0075] Those having an ordinary level of skill in the art will appreciate that factors affecting the thermal stability of a probe:target hybrid also can influence probe specificity. Accordingly, the melting profile, including the melting temperature (Tm) of probe:target hybrids, should be empirically determined for each probe:target combination. A preferred method for making this determination is described by Arnold et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,283,174, entitled “Homogeneous Protection Assay.”

[0076] One approach for measuring the Tm of a probe:target hybrid involves conducting a hybridization protection assay. According to the method of this assay, a probe:target hybrid is formed under conditions of target excess in a lithium succinate buffered solution containing lithium lauryl sulfate. Aliquots of the “preformed” hybrids are diluted in the hybridization buffer and incubated for five minutes at various temperatures starting below the anticipated Tm (typically 55° C.) and increasing in 2-5 degree increments. This solution is then diluted with a mildly alkaline borate buffer and incubated at a lower temperature (for example 50° C.) for ten minutes. An acridinium ester (AE) linked to a single-stranded probe is hydrolyzed under these conditions while an acridinium ester linked to a hybridized probe will be relatively “protected.” This procedure is referred to as the hybridization protection assay (“HPA”). The amount of chemiluminescence remaining is proportional to the amount of hybrid and is measured in a luminometer by addition of hydrogen peroxide followed by alkali. The data is plotted as percent of maximum signal (usually from the lowest temperature) versus temperature. The Tm is defined as the point at which 50% of the maximum signal remains.

[0077] In an alternative approach, the Tm of a probe:target hybrid can be determined using an isotopically labeled probe. In all cases, the Tm for a given hybrid will vary depending on the concentration of salts, detergents and other solutes contained in the hybridization solution. All of these factors influence relative hybrid stability during thermal denaturation (Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual Sambrook et al., eds. Cold Spring Harbor Lab Publ., 9.51 (1989)).

[0078] The rate at which a probe hybridizes to its target is a measure of the thermal stability of the target secondary structure in the probe region, and can be can be determined using C₀t_(½) measurements. These kinetic measurements of hybridization rate have units of (moles of nucleotide per liter)×(seconds). Expressed more simply, the C₀t_(½) value is the concentration of probe times the half-life of hybridization at that concentration. This value can be determined by hybridizing various amounts of probe to a constant amount of target nucleic acid for a fixed time. For example, 0.05 pmol of target is incubated with 0.012, 0.025, 0.05, 0.1 and 0.2 pmol of probe for 30 minutes. The C₀t_(½) may also be determined by hybridizing the target and probe under conditions of target excess and then measuring the increase of duplex formation over time. The amount of hybrid present can be measured using the above-described HPA procedure or by scintillation counting if a radiolabeled probe is used in the procedure. The measured signal, when using AE labeled probe, is then plotted as the log of the percent of maximum Relative Light Units (“RLU”) from the highest probe concentration versus probe concentration (moles of nucleotide per liter). The C₀t_(½) is graphically determined from the concentration corresponding to 50% of maximum hybridization multiplied by the hybridization time in seconds. These values range from 9×10⁻⁶ to 9×10⁻⁵ with the preferred values being less than 3.5×10⁻⁵. Similar values may be obtained by measuring radioactivity and plotting % hybridization at a given time point vs maximum extent.

[0079] In a preferred method of determining whether a biological sample contains rRNA or rDNA that would indicate the presence of C. albicans or C. dubliniensis, nucleic acids may be released from cells by sonic disruption, for example according to the method disclosed by Murphy et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,374,522. Other known methods for disrupting cells include the use of enzymes, osmotic shock, chemical treatment, and vortexing with glass beads. Other methods suitable for liberating from microorganisms the nucleic acids that can be subjected to the hybridization methods disclosed herein have been described by Clark et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,837,452 and by Kacian et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,364,763. Following or concurrent with the release of rRNA, labeled probe may be added in the presence of accelerating agents and incubated at the optimal hybridization temperature for a period of time necessary to a achieve significant hybridization reaction.

[0080] An oligonucleotide having the sequence CGGCCATAAAGACCTACCAAGCG (SEQ ID NO:1) was characterized by the criteria of length, Tm and nucleotide sequence and was found to be specific for the rRNA of C. albicans and C. dubliniensis. This polynucleotide, referred to herein as CalB2208 is complementary to a unique segment found in the 28S rRNA of C. albicans and C. dubliniensis. The probe is 23 bases in length, has a Tm of 61.4° C. and specifically hybridized rRNA of C. albicans and C. dubliniensis.

[0081] A second oligonucleotide having the sequence CGGCCATAAAGACCTAC (SEQ ID NO:4), which is entirely contained within the sequence of the CalB2208 probe, also was characterized. This latter probe, which is 17 bases in length, had a Tm that was lower than that of the CalB2208 probe, and so permitted hybridization procedures to be carried out using an alternative hybridization temperature condition. Like the CalB2208 probe, the CalB2214 probe also bound the rRNA of C. albicans, but not certain other Candida species.

[0082] Both the CalB2208 and CalB2214 probes are illustrations of oligonucleotides that: (1) hybridize the target nucleic acid under high stringency hybridization conditions, (2) have lengths of up to 100 nucleotide bases, and (3) include at least 15 contiguous nucleotides falling within the target region identified by SEQ ID NO:6 or its complement. Other oligonucleotides having these properties are contemplated for use as hybridization assay probes and are embraced by the invention.

[0083] Similarly, oligonucleotides having the sequences of SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3 and SEQ ID NO:5 are disclosed herein as illustrations of useful helper oligonucleotides. Like the helper oligonucleotides employed in the working Examples herein, other helper oligonucleotides embraced by the invention also have sequences of up to 100 nucleotides in length and further have at least 15, or more preferably at least 25, or still more preferably at least 34 contiguous nucleotides contained within the target region identified by SEQ ID NO:6 or its complement.

[0084] As indicated below, the CalB2208 probe hybridized C. albicans rRNA in a manner that was promoted by the use of helper oligonucleotides. According to the procedure used to make this determination, single-stranded probe oligonucleotide radiolabeled at the 5′-end was contacted with rRNA from C. albicans in the presence or absence of helper oligonucleotides. Probe molecules hybridizing the rRNA to form double-stranded hybrids were separated from single-stranded probe molecules by hydroxyapatite capture. The double-stranded hybrids bound to the hydroxyapatite and were detected and quantitated by scintillation counting. The extent of hybridization was then calculated as a percentage. The Tm of the probe:target hybrid advantageously was significantly increased in the presence of one or more helper oligonucleotides.

[0085] The following Example describes the methods used to demonstrate that the CalB2208 probe hybridized rRNA from C. albicans and that this interaction was facilitated by including helper oligonucleotides in the hybridization mixture.

EXAMPLE 1 Tm Determination for Probe:Target Hybrids

[0086] Tm values for probe:target and helper:target hybrids were determined using an end-labeled CalB2208 probe having the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 and end-labeled helper oligonucleotides selected from the group: (A) CalB2233 and (B) CalB2171. The sequence of CalB2233 was CCAGTTCTAAGTTGATCGTTAAACGTGCCCCGGA (SEQ ID NO:2), and the sequence of CalB2171 was TGTCTACAGCAGCATCCACCAGCAGTCCGTCGTG (SEQ ID NO:3). Helper oligonucleotides A and B were selected to bind the rRNA of C. albicans in regions of the molecule immediately adjacent to the probe. The probe and helper oligonucleotides were 5′-end labeled using [γ-³²P]ATP as a phosphate donor and T4 polynucleotide kinase to catalyze the phosphate transfer reaction essentially as described in Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual (Sambrook et al., eds. Cold Spring Harbor Lab Publ. 10.59 (1989)). End-labeled helper and probe oligonucleotides were separately combined with purified rRNA from C. albicans to provide conditions of target excess. In trials that included both the probe and helper oligonucleotides, only the probe was end-labeled and each helper oligonucleotide was present in at least a 10 fold molar excess over the C. albicans rRNA that served as a target. All mixtures were hybridized to completion in a solution that included 0.48 M sodium phosphate buffer, 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate, 1 mM EDTA and 1 mM EGTA. As negative controls, the probe and/or helper oligonucleotides were hybridized in the absence of the nucleic acid target. At the conclusion of the hybridization procedure, mixtures were diluted and passed over a hydroxyapatite column to separate single-stranded nucleic acids from double-stranded hybrids. The amount of radioactivity in the column flow-through represented single-stranded probe and was measured by scintillation counting. The amount of radioactivity bound to the hydroxyapatite was separately measured by scintillation counting. The extent of hybrid formation was calculated by dividing the amount of probe (measured in cpm) bound to the hydroxyapatite by the total amount of probe (in cpm) that was applied to the column. Results of these procedures are presented in Table 1. TABLE 1 Hybridization of the Ca1B2208 Probe with Target rRNA Oligonucleotide % Hybridization Tm (° C.) Ca1B2208 (Probe) 18.7 61.4 Ca1B2233 (3′-helper) 90.7 68.8 Ca1B2171 (5′-helper) 80.5 76.5 Probe + Ca1B2233 88.9 66,1 Probe + Ca1B2171 86.6 62.4 Probe + Ca1B2233 + Ca1B2171 92.0 66.2

[0087] The results from this procedure confirmed that the end-labeled probe hybridized rRNA from C. albicans and indicated this interaction advantageously was facilitated by helper oligonucleotides. It was particularly observed that the Tm of the probe:target complex could be increased from 61.4 to 66.2° C. when both helper oligonucleotides were included in the hybridization reaction. Indeed, the extent of the hybridization reaction was greatest when the CalB2208 probe was used in combination with the 3′- and 5′-helper oligonucleotides. Although the probe can be used either alone or in combination with one or more helper oligonucleotides in a hybridization assay, the below-described experiments that characterized the probe were conducted using the probe in combination with helper oligonucleotides having the sequences of SEQ ID NO:2 and SEQ ID NO:3. Combinations of probe and helper oligonucleotides useful in the procedures described herein preferably have probe:target Tm values in the range of from about 60-68° C. under the conditions described above.

[0088] Probe specificity was confirmed by demonstrating positive hybridization to rRNAs from a specificity panel. The collection of organisms used as sources of target nucleic acids in this procedure represented a taxonomic cross-section of organisms and a nearest-neighbor group. In the following procedure, quantitative results using the AE-labeled hybridization probe were compared to the amount of fungal rRNA present in each sample using a positive control probe. This positive control probe, which hybridized rRNA from a wide range of fungal organisms, was particularly useful for confirming the presence of rRNA in samples that failed to hybridize the CalB2208 probe. In such an event, the positive control probe provided confirmation for the presence of hybridizable rRNA and so validated the negative results.

[0089] The following Example describes the methods used to demonstrate that the CalB2208 probe hybridized rRNAs from C. albicans as well as C. dubliniensis.

EXAMPLE 2 Verification of Probe Specificity

[0090] Fungal lysates or purified RNA were used as nucleic acid targets for hybridization of a probe having the sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 together with helper oligonucleotides having the sequences of SEQ ID NO:2 and SEQ ID NO:3. Organisms employed as sources of rRNA in this procedure were either typed clinical isolates or obtained from the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC). All samples are identified in Table 2 by master log numbers for Gen-Probe Incorporated. Most of the isolates were obtained from the ATCC. Parallel samples of each rRNA were hybridized with a labeled positive control probe having the sequence GTCTGGACCTGGTGAGTTTCCC (SEQ ID NO:8) and unlabeled methoxy helper oligonucleotides having the sequences CGTGTTGAGTCAAATTAAGCCGC (SEQ ID NO:9) and GCTCTCAATCTGTCAATCCTTATTGT (SEQ ID NO:10). The hybridization solution contained 0.6M LiCl, 1% lithium lauryl sulfate, 60 mM lithium succinate and 10 mM each of EDTA and EGTA, pH 5.5. Both the CalB2208 probe and the positive control probe were labeled with acridinium ester essentially according to the method disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,185,439, entitled “Acridinium Ester Labeling and Purification of Nucleotide Probes.” At the conclusion of the hybridization reaction, acridinium ester linked to unhybridized probe was 5 rendered non-chemiluminescent under mild alkaline conditions, while acridinium ester attached to hybridized probe remained resistant to the inactivation. Conditions for the hydrolysis and detection of hybridized probe labeled with acridinium ester are described by Arnold et al., in Clin. Chem. 35:1588 (1989)). The magnitudes of probe hybridization in these procedures were quantitated by luminometry using procedures familiar to those having ordinary skill in the art. The magnitude of the CalB2208 probe signal was then divided by the magnitude of the pan-fungal positive control signal to quantitatively normalize results in the study. Samples having CalB2208 probe signals that were greater than about 10% of the positive control signal indicated specific hybridization with the CalB2208 probe with helpers, while lower values indicated negative results. Assay results are shown in Table 2. TABLE 2 Hybridization of the Ca1B2208 Probe and rRNA-Containing Lysates from a Collection of Candida Species Pan-Fungal Ca1B2208 Probe ORGANISM GP# Probe (RLU) (RLU) Candida albicans 1077 115206 189386 Candida albicans 1076 112712 87293 Candida albicans 715 113769 180489 Candida dubliniensis 1510 514150 1075961 Candida famata 1092 219589 768 Candida glabrata 1123 110335 646 Candida guilliermondii 1080 81910 769 Candida kefyr 1087 384987 642 Candida kefyr 1088 308651 648 Candida krusei 1081 137820 4534 Candida krusei 1082 151788 644 Candida krusei 716 136882 626 Candida lambica 1083 236549 721 Candida lustitaniae 1084 100027 827 Candida parapsillosis 717 116018 712 Candida parapsilosis 1085 113483 669 Candida rugosa 1089 110551 717 Candida tropicalis 718 114574 855 Candida tropicalis 1091 101768 618 Candida tropicalis 1090 119762 719

[0091] The results presented in Table 2 confirmed that the probe directed against C. albicans rRNA efficiently hybridized rRNA samples from numerous strains of this species as well as C. dubliniensis without substantially hybridizing the rRNA of other Candida species.

[0092] Specificity of the CalB2208 probe was further investigated by hybridizing labeled probe with a collection of species representing a spectrum of phylogentically diverse organisms. In this procedure, AE-labeled probe was separately mixed with individual rRNA containing lysates from non-Candida organisms. Positive hybridization results obtained using the positive control probe and negative results obtained using the CalB2208 probe in the following procedure further indicated that the CalB2208 probe advantageously was highly specific for C. albicans and C. dubliniensis.

[0093] The following Example describes additional methods used to demonstrate specificity of the probe. More particularly, the following procedures showed that the CalB2208 probe did not cross hybridize with rRNA contained in lysates from a collection of non-Candida organisms.

EXAMPLE 3 Absence of Cross Hybridization with Phylogentically Unrelated Organisms

[0094] Hybridization assays were conducted using the AE-labeled probes and helper oligonucleotides according to the procedures described in the previous Example. Results obtained in hybridization procedures that employed rRNA targets from non-Candida organisms are presented in Table 3. TABLE 3 Hybridization of the Ca1B2208 Probe with rRNA from a Collection of Non-Candida Organisms Pan-Fungal Ca1B2208 ORGANISM GP# Probe (RLU) Probe (RLU) Arachniotus flavoluteus 932 101224 670 Aspergillus fiavus 906 103672 675 Aspergillus fumigatus 899 101433 619 spergillus niger 907 114263 606 Aureobasidium pullulans 1108 107684 750 Auxarthron thaxteri 930 121907 655 Biastomyces dermatitidis 1022 129276 611 Chrysosporuim keratinophilum 982 107997 709 Coccidiodes immitis 1399 102770 731 Cryptococcus albidus var. diffluens 1020 103394 603 Cryptococcus neofomans 1112 102164 649 Cryptococcus neoformans 900 132951 622 Crytococcus laurentii 1124 93702 578 Gymnoascus dugwayensis 965 190212 651 Histoplasma capsulatum 968 171498 659 Microsporum gypseum 980 114826 573 Myxotrichum deflexum 933 102778 653 Oidiodendron echinulatum 934 114184 744 Penicillium notatum 957 102106 1782 Saccharomyces cerevisiae 384 211261 623 Scopulariopsis acremonium 958 87748 676 Sepedonium chrysospermum 927 56208 872

[0095] The results presented in Table 3 confirmed that the CalB2208 probe did not substantially hybridize with rRNA from numerous fungal species. Although not specifically presented in Table 3, the CalB2208 probe did not substantially hybridize nucleic acids from a human cell line. Taken together with the positive hybridization results presented in the Table 2, it was clear that the probe was highly specific for the rRNA of C. albicans and C. dubliniensis.

[0096] In addition to development of the CalB2208 probe, a shorter probe having a sequence fully contained within the CalB2208 probe sequence also was tested and shown to be useful for preferentially hybridizing the rRNA of C. albicans over the rRNA of other microorganisms. This shorter probe was called CalB2214 and had the sequence CGGCCATAAAGACCTAC (SEQ ID NO:4). The CalB2214 probe was used alone or in conjunction with the above-described CalB2233 helper oligonucleotide and/or the CalB2187 helper oligonucleotide having the sequence CAAGCGTGTCTACAGCAGCATCCAC (SEQ ID NO:5). Initial characterization of this probe composition focused on the determination of Tm values.

[0097] The following Example describes the methods used to demontrate that the CalB2214 probe hybridized rRNA from C. albicans and that the Tm which characterized this interaction could be altered by including helper oligonucleotides in the hybridization mixture.

EXAMPLE 4 Tm Determination for Probe:Target Hybrids

[0098] Tm values for the CalB2214 probe alone, and in combination with one or both of the CalB2187 and CalB2223 helper oligonucleotides, were determined using a hybridization protection assay procedure. Probe:target hybrids were first formed under conditions of target excess in a lithium succinate buffered solution (0.1 M lithium succinate buffer, pH 5.0, 2 mM EDTA, 2 mM EGTA, 10% (w/v) lithium lauryl sulfate). The target for binding of the probe and/or helper was rRNA from C. albicans. In the instances where the CalB2214 probe was tested in combination with one or more helper oligonucleotides, only the CalB2214 probe was labeled with an acridinium ester. Aliquots of the pre-formed hybrids were then diluted in hybridization buffer and incubated for five minutes at various temperatures in the range of from 50-72° C. This solution was diluted with a mildly alkaline borate buffer (0.15 M sodium tetraborate, pH 7.6, 5% (v/v) TRITON X-100), incubated at 50° C. for seven minutes and then transferred to an ice bath for one minute. Acridinium ester linked to free probe was hydrolyzed by these procedures. Acridinium ester linked to hybridized probe was not hydrolyzed under these conditions, and was quantitated by luminometry after the addition of hydrogen peroxide followed by alkali, essentially according to procedures described herein. The numerical data was plotted as percent of maximum signal versus temperature, and the Tm was defined as the point at which 50% of the maximum signal remained. Tabular results from these procedures are presented in Table 4. TABLE 4 Hybridization of the Ca1B2214 Probe with Target rRNA Oligonucleotide Tm(° C.) Ca1B2214 (Probe) below 54 Probe + Ca1B2187 56.6 Probe + Ca1B2233 60.7 Probe + Ca1B2233 + Ca1B2187 62.7

[0099] The results presented in Table 4 indicated that the Tm which characterized the interaction between the CalB2214 probe and its target could be increased by the presence of one or more helper oligonucleotides, as expected.

[0100] The following Example describes the methods used to demonstrate that the CalB2214 probe specifically hybridized rRNA from C. albicans, but did not hybridize rRNA from other Candida species.

EXAMPLE 5 Verification of Probe Specificity

[0101] Specificity of the CalB2214 probe was investigated using procedures substantially as described in Example 2.Hybridization reactions were conducted using a 55° C. hybridization temperature for samples containing the CalB2214 probe, and a 60° C. temperature for the positive control probe that hybridized the rRNA of all fungal species used in the procedure. Hybridization reactions included 90 μl of rRNA-containing lysate and 10 μl of the AE-labeled probe composition which contained 500,000 RLU of probe and 1 A₂₆₀ unit of the CalB2233 and CalB2187 helper oligonucleotides. After incubation of the mixtures for 15 minutes at 55° C., AE label associated with free probe was hydrolyzed and the amount of hybridized probe determined by luminometry according to the procedures described herein. Quantitative results of these procedures are presented in Table 5. TABLE 5 Hybridization of the Ca1B2214 Probe and rRNA-Containing Lysates from a Collection of Candida Species Pan-Fungal Ca1B2214 Probe ORGANISM GP# Probe (RLU) (RLU) Candida albicans 715 163554 29837 Candida albicans 1076 124803 7685 Candida albicans 1077 204280 23002 Candida albicans 1079 121266 6521 Candida tropicalis 718 162332 1207 Candida tropicalis 1086 263605 857 Candida tropicalis 1090 248996 709 Candida tropicalis 1091 206880 1092 Candida glabrata 749 221751 1100 Candida glabrata 1123 264402 1343 Candida parapsilosis 717 131222 970 Candida parapsilosis 1085 266032 809 Candida krusei 1082 187713 618

[0102] The results presented in Table 5 confirmed that the CalB2214 probe preferentially hybridized the rRNA of C. albicans over rRNA of other species shown in the table. As expected, hybridization of a pan-fungal probe indicated that all of the lysates used in the procedure contained rRNA. Normalization of the CalB2214 probe readings against the pan-fungal probe readings showed that each of the C. albicans lysates gave CalB2214 hybridization readings greater than 5% of the pan-fungal values. In contrast, none of the lysates from other Candida species gave CalB2214 hybridization readings greater than 0.7% of the pan-fungal values. This indicated that the CalB2214 probe preferentially hybridized the rRNA of C. albicans, but not the rRNA of other Candida species which are shown in the table.

[0103] Additional testing using an AE-labeled probe having the sequence of SEQ ID NO:4, and unlabeled helper oligonucleotides having the sequences of SEQ ID NO:2 and SEQ ID NO:5, was carried out to confirm the ability of the CalB2214 probe to hybridize the rRNA of C. dubliniensis. Procedures used to make this assessment were substantially the same as the procedures used to obtain the data presented in Table 5, except that the hybridization reactions included 1.0×10⁷ RLU of the CalB2214 probe or a positive control probe. The results from this procedure are presented in Table 6. TABLE 6 Hybridization of the Ca1B2214 Probe and rRNA-Containing Lysates from a Collection of Candida Species Pan-Fungal Ca1B2214 Probe ORGANISM GP# Probe (RLU) (RLU) Candida albicans 1076 46049 3760 Candida albicans  715 45395 6778 Candida dubliniensis 1510 96845 16688 Candida dubliniensis M9640 79802 20067 Candida glabrata 1123 63489 746 Candida lustitaniae 1084 36338 534 Candida parapsilosis  717 44627 433 Candida tropicalis 1090 45210 544 Candida viswanthii 1512 676634 537

[0104] As expected, the results shown in Table 6 showed that the CalB2214 probe positively hybridized the rRNA of C. albicans and C. dubliniensis, but did not substantially hybridize the rRNA of closely related Candida species. When the CalB2214 probe readings were normalized against the pan-fungal probe readings for this data, only C. albicans and C. dubliniensis gave hybridization readings greater than 5% of the pan-fungal values. Thus, the CalB2214 and CalB2208 probes were useful for preferentially hybridizing and detecting the rRNAs of C. albicans and C. dubliniensis.

[0105] The results described herein confirmed that the novel probes were capable of detecting C. albicans and C. dubliniensis. Moreover, the probes were capable of distinguishing these organisms from organisms that were phylogenetically closely related.

[0106] This invention has been described with reference to a number of specific examples and embodiments thereof. Of course, a number of different embodiments of the present invention will suggest themselves to those having ordinary skill in the art upon review of the foregoing detailed description. Thus, the true scope of the present invention is to be determined upon reference to the appended claims.

1 10 1 23 DNA Candida albicans 1 cggccataaa gacctaccaa gcg 23 2 34 DNA Candida albicans 2 ccagttctaa gttgatcgtt aaacgtgccc cgga 34 3 34 DNA Candida albicans 3 tgtctacagc agcatccacc agcagtccgt cgtg 34 4 17 DNA Candida albicans 4 cggccataaa gacctac 17 5 25 DNA Candida albicans 5 caagcgtgtc tacagcagca tccac 25 6 91 DNA Candida albicans 6 ccagttctaa gttgatcgtt aaacgtgccc cggacggcca taaagaccta ccaagcgtgt 60 ctacagcagc atccaccagc agtccgtcgt g 91 7 91 RNA Candida albicans 7 cacgacggac ugcuggugga ugcugcugua gacacgcuug guaggucuuu auggccgucc 60 ggggcacguu uaacgaucaa cuuagaacug g 91 8 22 DNA Candida albicans 8 gtctggacct ggtgagtttc cc 22 9 23 DNA Candida albicans 9 cgtgttgagt caaattaagc cgc 23 10 26 DNA Candida albicans 10 gctctcaatc tgtcaatcct tattgt 26 

What is claimed is:
 1. An oligonucleotide having a sequence, said sequence comprising at least 17 contiguous nucleotides contained within SEQ ID NO:6 or the complement thereof, said oligonucleotide having a length of up to 100 nucleotides.
 2. The oligonucleotide of claim 1, wherein the sequence of said oligonucleotide comprises any one of SEQ ID NO:1 or the complement thereof, SEQ ID NO:2 or the complement thereof, SEQ ID NO:3 or the complement thereof, SEQ ID NO:4 or the complement thereof, and SEQ ID NO:5 or the complement thereof.
 3. The oligonucleotide of claim 2, wherein the length of said oligonucleotide is up to 60 nucleotides.
 4. The oligonucleotide of claim 3, wherein said oligonucleotide comprises DNA.
 5. The oligonucleotide of claim 3, wherein the sequence of said oligonucleotide consists of any one of SEQ ID NO: 1 or the complement thereof, SEQ ID NO:2 or the complement thereof, SEQ ID NO:3 or the complement thereof, SEQ ID NO:4 or the complement thereof, and SEQ ID NO:5 or the complement thereof.
 6. The oligonucleotide of claim 5, further comprising a detectable label.
 7. The oligonucleotide of claim 5, wherein said sequence consists of SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO:4.
 8. The oligonucleotide of claim 7, wherein said oligonucleotide further comprises a detectable label.
 9. The oligonucleotide of claim 8, wherein the detectable label is a chemiluminescent label or a radiolabel.
 10. The oligonucleotide of claim 9, wherein the detectable label is a chemiluminescent label, and wherein the chemiluminescent label is an acridinium ester.
 11. A composition for detecting the nucleic acids of a yeast that is either C. albicans or C. dubliniensis, said composition comprising an oligonucleotide probe having a sequence, said sequence comprising at least 17 contiguous nucleotides contained within SEQ ID NO:6 or the complement thereof, said oligonucleotide having a length of up to 100 nucleotide bases.
 12. The composition of claim 11, wherein the length of said oligonucleotide probe is up to 60 nucleotides.
 13. The composition of claim 11, wherein said oligonucleotide probe comprises DNA.
 14. The composition of claim 11, wherein the sequence of said oligonucleotide probe consists of either SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO:4.
 15. The composition of claim 12, wherein said oligonucleotide probe further comprises a detectable label.
 16. The composition of claim 14, wherein said oligonucleotide probe further comprises a detectable label.
 17. The composition of claim 15, wherein the detectable label is a chemiluminescent label or a radiolabel.
 18. The composition of claim 16, wherein the detectable label is a chemiluminescent label or a radiolabel.
 19. The composition of claim 18, wherein the detectable label is a chemiluminescent label, and wherein the chemiluminescent label is an acridinium ester.
 20. The composition of claim 16, further comprising at least one helper oligonucleotide.
 21. The composition of claim 20, wherein the sequence of said oligonucleotide probe consists of SEQ ID NO:1, and wherein said at least one helper oligonucleotide is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:2 and SEQ ID NO:3.
 22. The composition of claim 20, wherein the sequence of said oligonucleotide probe consists of SEQ ID NO:4, and wherein said at least one helper oligonucleotide is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:2 and SEQ ID NO:5.
 23. A method of determining whether a test sample includes an organism that is either C. albicans or C. dubliniensis, said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing to said test sample a probe composition comprising an oligonucleotide probe having a sequence, said sequence comprising at least 17 contiguous nucleotides contained within SEQ ID NO:6 or the complement thereof, said oligonucleotide having a length of up to 100 nucleotide bases; (b) hybridizing under a high stringency condition any nucleic acid that may be present in the test sample with said probe composition to form a probe:target duplex; and (c) detecting said probe:target duplex, whereby it is determined that an organism that is either C. albicans or C. dubliniensis is present in the test sample.
 24. The method of claim 23, wherein the sequence of said oligonucleotide probe in step (a) consists of either SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO:4.
 25. The method of claim 24, wherein said test sample may comprise yeast cells, and wherein before step (a) there is a step for releasing nucleic acid from any yeast cells that may be present in said test sample.
 26. The method of claim 23, wherein said test sample is a lysate.
 27. The method of claim 23, wherein said high stringency condition in step (b) comprises 0.48 M sodium phosphate buffer, 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate, 1 mM each of EDTA and EGTA.
 28. The method of claim 23, wherein said high stringency condition in step (b) comprises 0.6 M LiCl, 1% lithium lauryl sulfate, 60 mM lithium succinate and 10 mM each of EDTA and EGTA.
 29. The method of claim 24, wherein the oligonucleotide probe in step (a) comprises a detectable label.
 30. The method of claim 29, wherein the detectable label is an acridinium ester, and wherein step (c) comprises performing luminometry to detect any of said probe:target duplex.
 31. The method of claim 29, wherein said probe composition in step (a) further comprises at least one helper oligonucleotide.
 32. The method of claim 31, wherein the sequence of said oligonucleotide probe consists of SEQ ID NO:1, and wherein said at least one helper oligonucleotide is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:2 and SEQ ID NO:3.
 33. The method of claim 31, wherein the sequence of said oligonucleotide probe consists of SEQ ID NO:4, and wherein said at least one helper oligonucleotide is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:2 and SEQ ID NO:5. 